Vlasic opens his wallet, Sharks open their locker room to Torres and Demers says he’s ready to go

Online and print edition obligations out of the way, back to the blog.

After the busier-than-usual stress of an NHL trade deadline, I could use a relatively quiet day and got one.

Oh, there was news.

Advertisement

*The NHL fined Marc-Edouard Vlasic the maximum allowed — $8,378+change, or one-half of one day’s pay (do not linger over that) – for the nastiness with Dany Heatley that ended Wednesday night’s 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild.

*Raffi Torres did show up at HP Pavilion for his first spin around the ice as a Shark. Most of his new teammates weren’t out there with him, however, as Todd McLellan wanted his players to spend their energy on training room workouts only.

*Jason Demers talked about his health situation after that head hit from Detroit’s Cory Emmerton on March 28.

The basics are all in the online story so, as usual, let me push you there — http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_22955466/newest-shark-raffi-torres-gets-warm-reception — before continuing here where we can expand on all of the above.

****Vlasic had a phone hearing with the NHL’s department of player safety early Thursday morning. Heatley, it turns out, has an injured shoulder. But because both teams agreed that the damage was done when he hit the ice and not by Vlasic’s two-handed chop, the Sharks defenseman avoided any suspension.

No, Vlasic said, he had no history with Heatley. Yes, he added, the two got along fine as teammates.

The two had been battling on earlier shifts before things really erupted as the game ended. The immediate sequence appeared to start with Vlasic cross-checking Heatley to his knees and giving the Wild forward a slight hack to the backside with his stick. Heatley then began the stick-swinging, but did not connect. Vlasic did.

“When you’re standing here, it’s easy to say ‘if someone swings a stick at me, I won’t defend myself or swing back.’ But a baseball swing’s coming your way, you want to defend yourself, swing back and react,” Vlasic said somewhat unapologetically. “He missed, but he could have gotten me. I could have missed, but I got him. It was just a nasty play at the end.”

****Patrick Marleau was a Shark when Torres targeted Milan Michalek’s head in the play that turned the series in Edmonton’s favor. But no, Marleau doesn’t hold a grudge.

Advertisement

“That’s in the past and we’re focused on what we have to do now,” Marleau said. “He’s here and he’s going to help us.”

So that history is forgotten?

“I think so,” Marleau said. “When you put on that same jersey, everybody’s on the same team going in that same direction. That’s the main thing.”

It was Joe Thornton’s shoulder that Torres damaged with a hard, but clean, hit in the 2011 Western Conference Finals. His reaction to Torres’s arrival?

“Great,” the captain said. “I think he’s a player who’s going to be beneficial come down to post-season time. I know playing against him in the post-season, he’s tough to play against. We all welcome him with open arms.”

Torres himself wasn’t worried about hard feelings.

“Well, I hope not,” he said. “I know if it was the other way around, I would want some of these guys on my team whether I liked them or not. There are some great players in this room and I’m here to do my job and help them out.”

Torres has talked about reigning in the excesses of his game after that 21-game suspension for knocking Marian Hossa out of the playoffs with yet another hit to head. He did want to stress he’s not going to stop hitting people.

What is the change?

“Knocking out the recklessness and running around like a chicken with his head cut off and with no authority,” Torres said. “I still want to finish hits, but make sure I’m on the right side of the puck. The last thing I want is another incident like last year.”

And, as he did Wednesday, Torres talked enthusiastically about coming to the Sharks.

“At the end of the day, it’s never nice to be traded from somewhere you liked. My family and I were enjoying it and things were going pretty well” in Phoenix, he said. “On the other hand, it’s nice to be wanted and going to a team like this, I’ve told my wife it’d always be nice if I could play in San Jose. I love that building and that rink – it’s electrifying and just a fun place to be. It’s funny the way things work out.”

Torres’ wife and their two kids – 3 and 6 months – are staying behind in Arizona for now. His contract does expire June 30 and no one really knows what happens after that. Besides, the Sharks have games in Glendale on April 15 and 24.

He talked about the type of player he is and I asked him how that came to pass.

“My brothers,” he said. “Being the third youngest of four boys, the two older guys were bigger than me and you always had to keep your guard up. A physical presence is key out there.”

The Sharks have played Phoenix three times this season, but the first two games came while Torres was serving his 21-game suspension. And what did McLellan think of his play when San Jose beat the Coyotes 3-2 in a shootout on March 30?

“We went back and watched his game. It was pretty solid,” the coach said. “He had a real good game against us and played the way he needs to play – hard, fast, straight lines, crating some offense. We were aware he was on the ice.”

Scott Hannan, by the way, hadn’t arrived from Nashville before players were scatting, but was scheduled to show up later in the day. His neck injury will keep him out of action this weekend and maybe longer.

****Demers did skate Thursday and declared himself good to go afterward. He added he passed those neurological tests tied to head injuries on Wednesday, so that won’t be an obstacle.

“I’m itching to get back out there,” he said. “Yesterday I really pushed it hard and didn’t have any after- effects during the day. I did a lot of work with the trainers working on my neck and a lot of the other stuff that goes with it.”

For the first four or five days after Emmerton’s shoulder caught Demers’s jaw, he said he just rested. The work began Wednesday.

Still, Demers is iffy at best for Friday night’s game against the Calgary Flames. McLellan liked the idea of Demers getting a full practice with his teammates before returning to action, and that can’t happen until Saturday. That would make the Sunday matinee against Dallas the likely return date.

Demers said he went back to look at video of the hit and figures he has shared responsibility for the damage.

“Obviously Emmerton’s not a player that plays that way in any way,” he said. “Guys were joking, thinking they thought it was (Jordin) Tootoo.

“I kind of just made my pass and had my head turned. He came to finish on my shoulder and caught me right on the jaw,” Demers continued. “Those things are going to happen in this league. It’s so fast. I’ve just got to make sure I have my head up next time and if I’m making a pass, just get my feet moving to protect myself.

“Obviously the onus is on both of us,” Demers went on. “I didn’t think it was dirty at first, but when I saw it, maybe a little bit. But I just got caught watching my own pass.”

****It’s been awhile since I’ve had a day off, so the boss has convinced me it’s a good idea to take two. My work is done until Sunday’s game against Dallas and @CurtisPashelka will be covering the Sharks between now and then. I’m hoping we’ll have things in place so he can contribute here, but not sure yet if that will come to pass.

Meanwhile, I did pick up on the vibe when a couple of you resented being told to follow him on Twitter in my absence. Yeah, I get the fact that not everybody buys into the value of communication in 140 characters.

But I’ve got to tell you — I can’t imagine being a serious hockey fan who wants to stay on top of things and NOT being plugged into Twitter. Scoff if you want, but that is where news breaks and that is where people direct each other not only to the most important things happening on a given day, but solid analysis and just plain interesting reads. Sure, be smart and be selective – but you really should be there.

Much as I value this blog, priorities have evolved in a different direction. First for breaking news, Twitter; second, online and print edition stories for mercurynews.com and the paper; third, Working the Corners.

No offense intended.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

I was happy with him at one point, that TMac found a niche for him with Pavs and Wellwood for those 20 or so games they played together. But, again, he was a no-show in the POs that season.

Last nights game reminded me how ineffective overall he was.

Renoshark

Thanks DP! Enjoy your weekend!

GP

from last thread….

Snow Bum,

I am sending a letter to have them add rule 61.1heater.

Rule 61.1heater: The Heatley feeble attempt to injure a Sharks defenseman by virtue of swinging the stick with attempt to injure and make it look like you have emotion in an NHL hockey play. This penalty shall include a suspension and complete reimbursement to MEV # 44 of the Sharks NHL Hockey team. Suspension length will be determined by how many swing and misses by Mr. Heatley.

Renoshark

If I remember correctly, when Eager had his meltdown against Vancouver, that cost us dearly in the WCF, wasn’t it partly because of Raffi?

SanJoseCupCrazy

I seem to remember the same thing, Reno…

SJ JP

2-0 w/ 2 to go. Glad Pavs was the number one star, but thought it somewhat unusal, since he didn’t figure in the scoring, right?

Any tourism suggestions for tomorrow? Have kind worn out possibilities south on Hwy1, and have also been to SF several times. Any hidden gems.?

Have a good evening. JP

ZEKE

Mystery Spot near Santa Cruz SJ JP

Snow Shovel

SJ JP – John, you do realize with a 2/0 record, you won’t be allowed to return home and jinx us, don’t you. Hope someone else is feeding the horses or mending the roads or whatever else it is you do up there.

Renoshark

Snow:

I’m coming down for Calgary and Dallas. Sharks are undefeated when I’m at the tank. Last loss I saw was Florida Panthers a few seasons ago. Hope the good karma continues.

Snow Shovel

GP – Rule 61.1heater Haha. Funny. Neither one is a fighter or scrapper, so it was somewhat of a shock to see them both going at it so passionately! But I enjoyed it.

Topcat

re: Twitter David, #10 SactoShark has a good point. We would like to follow your Shark’s info on Twitter but don’t want in-game updates any case we are DVRing..you could use a separate account for game updates? “@PollakOnSharksScores”?

Snow Shovel

SJ JP – And there is the SF science museum. Some said it has all been redone since my last visit some years ago. And The DeYoung Museum in Goden Gate Park (?) in SF. Or chinatown. Or pier 39 (?).

Snow Shovel

Allright Reno, If we win those games, we’re holding you and WI JP hostage. We can’t take any chances.

Snow Shovel

Gotta go.

Dirty

Woodside will be really nice tomorrow. Damn I wish I could go out there myself.

puckace

No twitter for me. I’ll just have to get by on WTC’s third line contributions. And other sources such as TSN.

Keep up the good work DP!

SactoShark

GP,

Are you saying I made my dislike of #17 over and over and over?

If so, Guilty as charged!

#24 Snow,. I believe I have seen the entirety of MEVs fights in person. The one in my mind was one where Jumbo was standing right next to him laughing his ass off while combat was under way.

The look MEV gave Jumbo as he skated toward the penalty box was priceless.

Over the past 2 years, Pickles has been giving it back a little -not fighting, but not being a pillow either.

SactoShark

#16 Reno,

I don’t particularly remember that but it would not surprise me one bit if Raffi was not part of the stimulus.

My recollection is Eager was pissed at Luongo for some strange reason.

SactoShark

#28

FWIW, I think McKenzie is worth following on twitter – at least during the season.

He is sufficiently annoying during the off season that I usually un-follow him.

But I like getting his updates

David Pollak

All,

I can see the spoiler problem with Twitter and I probably should look into a second in-game account.

But it’s not as if you can’t ignore it, too. Takes discipline I don’t have, but I hear it can be done.

David

beeohzee

“Scott Hannan, by the way, hadn’t arrived from Nashville before players were scatting.” Would that be some sort of team-building event?

Ice

WTC will always be the first place I look for hockey info.

LTNC

Scat with Ella and Satchmo! That would be one cool practice.

Scatman

Raffi & his wife have two kids, 3 & 6 months… kind of odd birth schedule. She must have speedy reproductive organs!

Hope Todd doesn’t inject him in just to get him some playing time right off the bat- no need to fix anything, doesn’t seem broken!

Renoshark

Calgary is on a 3 game losing streak coming into tomorrow’s game and have given up 18 goals in those losses. This is not a game we should lose but….I’m worried about a let down after having played so well lately. Hope we don’t take this team lightly.

Phil

“I think if you could ask all my coaches, when you talk systems, I kind of do my own thing out there,” Torres said. “Probably why it cost me a lot of minutes.”
————-
That sounds like what we really need out there. A hockey player who hits, doesn’t follow a system, and gets benched a lot.

Maybe he’ll turn out to win the Stanley Cup winning goal and maybe he’ll turn out to be great. I’ll still boo him.

Snow Shovel — I think you asked about Raffi Torres standing up for players?

He does fight periodically, though it seems like they’re answering for shots that he gave, rather than making someone answer.

Some people have tried to show the statistical importance of fighting, but so far, there hasn’t really been anything to show for it. The more I think about it, the more it seems to me that getting Clowe out of town is going to mean a major change in the chemistry of this team. I’m not sure what form that’s going to take, but we know it can be done, judging by other teams.

Side note — I asked this question a bit ago. Does anyone remember when that big postseason hit on Marleau was? Was that our last go-round with Dallas?

Snotty

WTC being third is ok by me. It’s nice to be able to check in at the end of the day, after the kids have gone to bed, and see what is happening in the Sharks World. Tha is for all that you do for us. The lurkers that don’t always comment.

Dunlap

Hey DP, do players really have a day where they all poop together? Is that to keep the weight in line? You said “before the players were scatting”. Ha! Or is it a singing group where they are singing scat like Scat Man Caruthers?!

ShorksShorking

The fact that Phoenix, Nashville and St. Louis are improbable first round match-ups for the Sharks is comforting. Los Angeles would be excellent. If we could go through L.A. -> Anaheim -> Wild we might actually be in business. Not saying the Stanley Cup is likely, I would peg our chances at about 7%, which is slightly above a standard average for all 16 teams in the playoffs of 6.25%. But not every team is weighted equally, so 7% isn’t nearly as bad as, say, the Islanders, who would probably be somewhere around 1%. It would be amusing if the Sharks managed to win the Stanley Cup after being written off completely by everyone, including fans. Also unfortunate that whoever wins the Cup this year gets a big asterisk next to their title.

ppc

86 the asterisk crap. It’s total bs.

LoCo39

vlasic got more penalty minutes at the end of the last game than torres has all season #MEVthegoon

Snow Shovel

#38 Phil – It wasn’t me who asked about Torres.

#29 Sacto – I remember that MEV fight (really just a little tussle). It was two(?) years ago when TMac was trying to get Vlasic to be more aggressive in the offensive zone. Someone here laughingly said, “Who was Vlasic making out with in the corner”?

Matthew

Back to Boyle’s end-to-end… Here is hoping that Remenda watches ( and listens) a few more times and learns from it. His lesson: STFU.

He basically ruined a magical moment ( obviously the goal itself is not ruined, just the replay) because, as usual, he is yapping incessantly way too long about nothing important, and Randy has to interrupt to call the goal at the last second….

Way to go, Drew.

hmslion

Can we move on please…Torres is on the team…we have a game tonight…the team has…let’s go.

Topcat

Here are two weak teams (sellers) that we need to get the four points from, to put us in decent shape before the stretch run

beeohzee

#42 PPC – agree, no asterisk. Still gotta win 16 to win the Cup.

hmslion

Kudos to Doug Wilson on the ESPN site…

From the article:

We have often been critical of the San Jose Sharks for their inability to capitalize on what is a perennially talent-laden lineup. But you have to tip your hat to GM Doug Wilson, who appears to have navigated the competing waters of trimming fat and maintaining a competitive team with great skill. The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL with six wins in a row, the latest coming Wednesday night over the Minnesota Wild. The win moved them into a tie with the Wild and Vancouver Canucks with 44 points and gave the Sharks a good shot at getting home-ice advantage in the first round as the conference’s fourth seed, something that seemed implausible even a month ago.

Meanwhile, Wilson got good return for Clowe: a second-, a third- and a conditional second-round pick from the Rangers. He also obtained a fourth-round pick from Chicago for Michal Handzus, and got two more second-round picks from Pittsburgh for Douglas Murray (the second of which is conditional). And then Wilson added some grit and tenacity in the form of Raffi Torres.

The moves give Wilson all kinds of options in terms of assets with which to help restock a barren prospects cupboard, as well as additional cap space. That doesn’t even take into account the potential for a long playoff run. That’s a pretty good bit of work.

g-bum-man

Topcat–absolutley–and it would be a big confidence builder to be undefeated on this latest homestand. These next two are the opponents that worry me the most–the ones the Sharks expect to beat. Easy to look past them, and then fall on your face.